|
|
|
|
2007 americans for the arts news
-
Register Now for the 2008 Annual Convention in Philadelphia
December 10, 2007—Philadelphia, PA, hosts the Americans for the Arts Annual Convention from June 20-22, 2008—American Evolution: Arts in the New Civic Life. At this convention, Americans for the Arts will come together to share strategies for leading creative communities. Check out the convention schedule, plan your visit, or learn about the popular Innovator series. Register now to receive discounts to the premiere conference for arts and creative leaders.
For more information, visit: www.americansforthearts.org/events/2008/convention/default.asp.
-
Americans for the Arts Annual Report is Available
December 12, 2007—The Americans for the Arts 2006 Annual Report is now available online at www.artsusa.org/pdf/about_us/annual_report.pdf.
-
Americans for the Arts and Sundance Preserve Host Second Annual National Arts Policy Roundtable
November 12, 2007—Robert Redford, Chairman of Sundance Preserve, and Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts, led the second annual National Arts Policy Roundtable entitled, Thinking Creatively and Competing Globally—The Role of the Arts in Building the 21st American Workforce. Over thirty leaders from business, government, philanthropy, education, and the arts convened in Sundance, Utah from October 4 – 6 to address how the arts can help foster students’ creative and innovative skills in order to compete in the 21st Century global workplace.
Additional information about the 2007 Roundtable, including an executive summary of the convening and commissioned opinion essays are available at www.AmericansForTheArts.org/go/policyroundtable.
-
Americans for the Arts Activates Emergency Relief Fund
October 26, 2007—In response to the magnitude of devastation recently experienced in southern California due to fires, Americans for the Arts is actively collecting donations to its Emergency Relief Fund for the purpose of providing assistance to local arts service organizations located in or serving areas most affected, helping them re-build the arts in their community. We have been in touch with our constituents in California and will continue to monitor the situation in that area; in the mean time, we are receiving donations to our Fund in hopes of opening the granting process in mid-November. We have also developed an online list of national, regional and local emergency relief resources and a bulletin board for individuals and organizations to share personal stories or updates. Americans for the Arts will also be contributing $20,000 toward this effort. Contributions to the Americans for the Arts Emergency Relief Fund are tax-deductible. One hundred percent of all funds raised will be distributed to local arts service organizations in disaster areas and to relief efforts dedicated to helping the arts. Please consider making your tax-deductible contribution to the Americans for the Arts Emergency Relief Fund online at www.AmericansForTheArts.org/EmergencyRelief.
-
More than 650 Arts Marketers Convene in Miami
November 05, 2007—Arts & Business Council of Americans for the Arts held its National Arts Marketing Project Conference in Miami, November 2-5. The conference--Flourishing in the New Frontier: New Media, New Audiences, New Opportunities--focused on using new technology to build new audiences for the arts. Leaders presented the latest research in the field and offered attendees insight on new media from RSS to podcasts, blogging, texting, optimizing e-mail, e-commerce, Web 2.0, and search engines.
The National Arts Marketing Project Conference is the premier and largest gathering of arts marketers in the country. The convening is a critical forum for arts groups to discuss the rapidly changing demographics and behaviors of U.S. consumers, as well as how arts organizations can remain relevant in the era of consumer control.
For a detailed schedule of National Arts Marketing Project Conference workshops, speeches, and events, visit the conference website. And for more information on the National Arts Marketing Project visit www.ArtsMarketing.org.
-
October is National Arts and Humanities Month
October 01, 2007—Americans for the Arts invites all Americans to celebrate October as National Arts and Humanities Month (NAHM). Visit the NAHM website for tips and ideas to help you take action, be inspired, and participate in the arts during NAHM. Check out the NAHM events map to find arts activities in your community, and share your experiences with us. It's as simple as Click, Film, Share—upload your photos and video of NAHM celebrations on our YouTube and Flickr groups.
-
Americans for the Arts Presents Awards for Public Leadership in the Arts
August 08, 2007—This summer, Americans for the Arts presented a series of awards to local elected officials in recognition of their extraordinary support of the arts and arts education in their communities.
In June, awards were presented at the United States Conference of Mayors annual meeting to Miami Mayor Manuel A. Diaz; Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano; the human services organization, The Actors Fund; music industry executive and American Idol judge, Randy Jackson; and Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning actor Jimmy Smits. Read the press release.
In July, Americans for the Arts, in conjunction with the National Association of Counties, presented the 2007 National Award for County Arts Leadership to the Howard County Government of Howard County, Maryland at NACo’s annual meeting in Richmond, Virginia. Read the press release.
Also in July, Montana Lieutenant Governor John Bohlinger received the Lieutenant Governors Arts Award from Americans for the Arts and the National Lieutenant Governors Association. Read the press release.
This week, Americans for the Arts and the National Conference of State Legislatures presented the State Arts Leadership Award to Senator Carolyn Allen of Arizona. Read the press release.
-
Introducing the Americans for the Arts Job Bank
June 20, 2007—Looking for that perfect fit? The new Americans for the Arts Job Bank is live and online and interactive. The Americans for the Arts Job Bank is your resource for making online employment connections in the arts field.
The Americans for the Arts Job Bank offers employers targeted access to quality arts administration professionals, along with quick and easy job posting and online job activity reports. Job seeking professionals can make sure their resumes are being seen by those in the industry who matter most to them. The Americans for the Arts Job Bank offers job seekers free and confidential resume posting, automated weekly e-mail notification of new job listings, and the ability to save jobs for later review.
To find a job or fill a position, visit http://jobbank.artsusa.org today.
-
Major Funding Increase for the National Endowment for the Arts
May 23, 2007—The House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, which sets the initial funding level for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), approved a $35 million increase for the NEA for its FY 2008 spending bill. If this funding level is maintained by the Senate and signed into law by President Bush, it will represent the largest increase in NEA history. The agency, currently funded at $124.4 million has only seen increases of under 3 percent for the last several years.
Additionally, the National Endowment for the Humanities was also given enough of an increase to match the NEA at $160 million.
To read a statement about the funding increase, visit the Americans for the Arts press room.
-
Arts & Economic Prosperity III study reveals the arts generate $166 billion in economic activity
May 22, 2007—Americans for the Arts announced today the results of the most comprehensive economic impact study of the nonprofit arts and culture industry ever conducted in the United States. The Arts & Economic Prosperity III report reveals that the nonprofit arts industry generates $166.2 billion in economic activity every year, resulting in $29.6 billion in federal, state, and local tax revenues.
The nation’s nonprofit arts and culture industry has grown steadily since the first analysis by Americans for the Arts in 1992, expanding at a rate greater than inflation. Between the second study conducted in 2000 and 2005, spending by organizations and their audiences grew 24 percent, from $134 billion to $166.2 billion in total economic activity—$63.1 billion in spending by organizations and an additional $103.1 billion in event-related spending by their audiences. The total economic activity has a significant national impact, generating the following:
- 5.7 million full-time equivalent jobs
- $104.2 billion in resident household income
- $7.9 billion in local government tax revenues
- $9.1 billion in state government tax revenues
- $12.6 billion in federal government tax revenues
For more information about the study’s national results visit the press room.
To learn more about Arts & Economic Prosperity III, visit www.AmericansForTheArts.org/EconomicImpact.
-
Americans for the Arts Launches New Blog and Podcast
May 11, 2007—Americans for the Arts is proud of announce the launch of two new communications initiatives: ArtCast and ArtsBlog. ArtsBlog is the blog of Americans for the Arts and will feature posts by various staff members of Americans for the Arts as well as outside experts. It is our hope that ArtsBlog will be a source of valued information and a home for important discussions. Comments and questions on ArtsBlog are both welcomed and encouraged. ArtsBlog can be found online at http://blog.artsusa.org.
ArtCast is a monthly podcast produced by Americans for the Arts featuring Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO. ArtCast can be heard on ArtsBlog, as well as on the video and audio section of the Americans for the Arts website (www.AmericansForTheArts.org/information_services/video_audio). To subscribe to ArtCast, you can do so via the Americans for the Arts Podcast feed or through iTunes.
-
First Annual National Arts Policy Roundtable Recommendations Announced
April 27, 2007—In October 2006, Americans for the Arts and the Sundance Preserve gathered 29 leaders from business, government, philanthropy, education, and the arts to address the serious decline of market share in philanthropy in the arts and The Future of Private Sector Giving to the Arts in America at the first annual National Arts Policy Roundtable.
The policy recommendations from the convening were announced on April 25. The Americans for the Arts National Arts Policy Roundtable envisions an America where:
- All businesses, foundations and individual philanthropists recognize the arts as complementary to their civic agendas and include the arts within their giving strategies.
- Businesses empower their local workplaces to implement arts giving mechanisms that serve the needs of those communities.
- Foundations adopt arts giving and other arts policies that advance entrepreneurship, innovation and civic engagement, and nurture and develop new creative voices for the benefit of the broader community.
- All businesses, foundations and individual philanthropists declare literacy in the arts a key educational goal for the 21st century—as central to an educated citizenry as reading, math and science.
A list of participants and the full recommendations report, including recommendations for the government and arts sector is available online at www.AmericansForTheArts.org/go/PolicyRoundtable.
More information about the National Arts Policy Roundtable is available in the press room.
-
The Arts Education Network Seeks Writers
March 22, 2007—Arts Education Information Quarterly (AEIQ), a new publication of Americans for the Arts, is seeking writers to share their expertise in advancing arts education. AEIQ offers practical information to concerned professionals about influencing public education decision makers for arts education. Readership is the Arts Education Network—professional members of Americans for the Arts. They are employees of local, state, and private nonprofit arts, education, and arts education organizations. The series is also promoted to allied professions. Readers work in most arts disciplines offering diverse arts education services. Each edition is electronically delivered each quarter and will be one of several features in a year-end publication. AEIQ are quick-to-the-point, easy-to-read, and offer tested experience on the topic.
Additional information is available at www.AmericansForTheArts.org/ArtsEducation/AEIQ (pdf, 74 KB).
-
More than 400 Grassroots Arts Advocates Take to the Halls of Congress
March 14, 2007—Americans for the Arts, in conjunction with the Congressional Arts Caucus and 93 national arts organizations from around the country, enlisted entertainment, arts, education, and policy leaders on Capitol Hill yesterday for Arts Advocacy Day 2007.
A highlight of the day was a Congressional hearing on the importance of supporting the National Endowment for the Arts held by Representative Norm Dicks (D-WA), Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior. Wynton Marsalis, Chris Klein, Mayor David Cicilline of Providence, James Raisbeck, Dr. Sheila C. Johnson, and Robert L. Lynch testified at the hearing and encouraged investment in the arts as a way to help spur creativity and innovation in America.
On the eve of Arts Advocacy Day, veteran broadcast journalist and Chairman of the Board of The MacDowell Colony, Robert MacNeil, delivered Americans for the Arts’ 2007 Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy to a capacity crowd in the Concert Hall of The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. An mp3 file (22MB) as well as a podcast of MacNeil’s speech titled, “Out of the Disenlightenment,” is now available for download.
At a Congressional Arts Breakfast, Americans for the Arts and the U.S. Conference of Mayors jointly presented the 2007 National Award for Congressional Arts Leadership to U.S. Representative Betty McCollum (D-MN). More information about the award is available in the press room.
The 2007 Congressional Arts Handbook, which includes information on important issues affecting the arts, is available online.
-
Americans for the Arts Launches New Planning Initiative
February 14, 2007—Americans for the Arts is taking on a strategic planning initiative that will have a significant impact on the future of the arts in this country. During the next few months, we will be conducting a comprehensive scan of the arts environment to help us determine our next five-year road map for advancing the arts in America. In the coming months, constituents of Americans for the Arts will be asked to participate in Web-based surveys, online forums, focus groups, or one-on-one interviews to provide invaluable input. We are partnering with AMS Planning & Research, an arts management consulting firm based in Fairfield, CT, in this effort. More information on this strategic planning initiative and environmental scan is available here.
-
Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., inaugural Nancy Hanks lecturer, passes away
March 01, 2007—Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. who delivered the first Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy in 1988 passed away on February 28 in New York City. He was 89-years-old. He was a noted historian, author, and Pulitzer Prize recipient. A transcript of his Nancy Hanks Lecture is available here.
-
NEA Grant to Sundance Festival Falsely Reported
February 12, 2007—An “Action Alert” issued by the American Family Association falsely reports that the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) gave grants to the recently concluded Sundance Film Festival to support the showing of the films Hounddog and Zoo. The organization has urged its members to write and e-mail their members of Congress in protest.
To set the record straight: The NEA did not provide support for the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. The NEA did not fund the two films. The NEA had no connection whatsoever to the films. Regarding the NEA, the action alert is all wrong. The NEA did fund the summer educational workshop last year at the Sundance Institute, which trains people working on careers in film, including directing, screenwriting, and producing. In the past, the NEA has sometimes been criticized for programs it doesn’t fund. This instance is another such example.
For more information visit the online Arts Action Center.
-
Americans for the Arts Responds to FY 2008 Arts and Culture Funding Recommendations
February 07, 2007—Americans for the Arts President and CEO Robert L. Lynch gave the following statement on the release of the President Bush’s budget for FY 2008:
“For the first time in three years, President Bush initiated a proposed increase in funds for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). If approved, the president’s $4 million funding increase would grow the NEA budget from $124.4 million to $128.4 million, which is a step in the right direction. However, Americans for the Arts calls on Congress to restore full funding to the NEA at its FY 1992 level of $176 million, which spurred significant economic growth, artistic achievement, and accessibility to the nation’s cultural organizations across the nation.”
To read the full statement, visit the press room.
More information about FY 2008 arts and culture funding is available in the Arts Action Center.
-
Americans for the Arts Announces New Board and Council Members
January 11, 2007—Americans for the Arts welcomes two new members to its Board of Directors: James Counts Early serves as director of Cultural Heritage Policy at the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage at the Smithsonian Institution and Noemi Pollack is president and CEO of The Pollack PR Marketing Group (PPMG).
Americans for the Arts also welcomes the newly elected members of the Arts Education Council, Emerging Leader Council, and Public Art Network Council.
Arnold Aprill, executive director of the Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education; Donna Collins, executive director of the Ohio Alliance for Arts Education and Ohio Citizens for the Arts; and Steve Tennen, executive director of ArtsConnection join the Arts Education Council, a group that provides guidance on the development and execution of programs and services that meet the needs of the Arts Education Network.
John Arroyo of the Los Angeles County Arts Commission; Teniqua Broughton of Arizona State University Gammage in Tempe, AZ; Katie Guernsey, a M.A. in arts management candidate at Carnegie Mellon University; Lex Leifheit of the Green Street Arts Center in Connecticut; and Adam J. Natale of Fractured Atlas in New York City join the Emerging Leader Council, a group that assists with developing programs and resources to promote the growth, development, and sustenance of emerging arts professionals nationwide.
David Allen, director of Arts in Transit for the City of St. Louis, MO; Pallas Lombari of the Charlotte Area Transit System; and Martha Peters, public art director for the Arts Council of Fort Worth & Tarrant County, TX, join the Public Art Network Council, a group that advises the board and staff of Americans for the Arts on the expanding and diverse field of public art.
Additional information about the new council and board members is available in the press room.
-
Annual Awards Nominations Due January 12
January 08, 2007—Recognize a colleague for his or her outstanding work and dedication by nominating them for an Americans for the Arts Annual Award. Honors will be presented at the Annual Convention in Las Vegas, NV, in the following areas: Alene Valkanas State Arts Advocacy Award, Arts Education Award, Emerging Leader Award, Michael Newton Award for United Arts Funds Leadership, Public Art Network Award, and Selina Roberts Ottum Award for Arts Leadership. Nominations must be submitted before Friday, January 12 by members of Americans for the Arts. For more information, visit the Annual Awards section of the website.
|
|
|
|
